Massage-tool.



`H.`A. GRASS.

MASSAGE TOOL. APPLICATION FILED 001.210, 19o?.

927,786. Patented July 1'3, 1909.

NETE@ STATES FATENT OFFlCE.

HENRY A. GRASS, OF CHICAGO, LLlhlOilbggF-OFFORTY ONE-HUNDREDTHS 'lO LOUIS J. MITCHELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLlNOIS.

:MASSAGE-TOOL.

To all whom it may concer/n:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. Gnxss, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Massage-Tools, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to instruments or tools for massaging the face.

ln devices of this character, a rubber cup or applicator is usually employed, and 'the same has been operated in various ways. I have found, however, that better results are obtained when the rubber cup or applicator is oscillated or rotated back and forth, and that a further beneiicial action is obtained by establishing a vacuum within said cup or applicator. In this way a requisite friction or rubbing action is produced by the applicator, and the vacuum within the same tends to increase the intimacy of contact bctween the skin and the edge or rim of the cup or applicator. I lind that this rotary rubbing action, combined with the appli cation of the vacuum to the skin covered by the mouth of the cup or applicator, are especially effective in producing a good massage treatment in connection with the massage lotions, such as those ordinarily employed by barbers. Furthermore, l provide the implement or tool with a pair of handles or other mechanism by which the applicator is rotated, and by which a pumping action is accomplished for producing the action. The nature and advantages of my invention will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a massage tool embodying the principles of my invention, a portion of the head being broken away to bring into view the mechanism by which the applicator is rotated or operated. Fig. 2 is a plan of the said massage tool. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 4t is an enlarged sectional plan view of the gear mechanism and connections for operating the applicator. Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the hub, which serves as the pivot for connecting the two handles, and within which the stem of the applicator rotates. l

As thus illustrated, my invention conr prises a pair of handles A-B, the handle B having a cup-shaped head b, and the handle A having a disk o., the said disk and cup-shaped portion forming a casing Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 19, 1907.

Patented July 13, 1909.

Serial N0. 398,147.

for inclosing the mechanism by which the applicator is operated. The said applicator C is preferably made of rubber, and is cup-shaped or bell shaped in form, and has a hollow stem o extending upwardly through the. hub 1, which latter forms the pivot for connecting together the two handles. lt will be seen that the said stem o has a lower portion upon which the top or crown of the cup C is molded, and that it carries a `gear or pinion c, the coin net-tion therewith being obtained by a screw c2 Wiking in a slot Y): in the said lmb tf. The handle l carries a segmental pinion Zf, which latter is pivoted thereto by a screw or pivot rlhe said segmental pinion provided with a pin that works in a slot al formed in the handle A. A bulb D is interposed between the two handles and conneeled thereto by means of integral eyes d. rlhe said bulb has a tlexible tube connection with the. upper end of the hollow stem c, and the latter is held in place by a collar il, as clearly illustrated. The said tube connects with an internal tube d, which latter closed at its end and has an oblique split (It in its side, whereby the air can llow from the cup or applicator into the interior of the bulb, but cannot pass in a reverse motion. Then the handles are pressed together, the gear rotates the applicator C, and when the handles are allowed to separate, the suction produced by the bulb D then exhausts the air from the interior of the said applicator, causingl the skin to contact lirmly with the edge or perimeter of the said applicator. For this purpose, a` spring E is inserted between the two handles, and tends to throw the same apart when they are released by the hand. In this way, the action of the handles is accompanied by an oscillating or back and forth rotation of the applicator, as well as by an intermittent exhaust of air from the interior thereof. This I find to be very benelicial, as it not only creates a good friction or rubbing action, but at the same time tends to keep the skin in close contact with the edge or perimeter of the applicator.

It will be seen that the air can be exhausted from the bulb D in any suitable manner. For example, a cheek valve Z5 can be provided at the rear thereof, of any suitable character. lith this arrangement, the air can escape from the rear of the bulb, when the latter is contracted by the handles.

llt)

The air can only enter the said bulb, however, by way of the tube (Z1, so that the opening of the handles is always accompanied by a suction or exhaust action in the applicator.

It will be seen that the exhausting of t-he air from the applicator is continuous in character-that is to say, there is a steady and continual exhausting action from the applicator, and the air that is drawn out of the applicator1 is never forced back therein, whereby a constant suction or vacuum action is maintained in the applicator, sucient to keep the perimeter thereof in intimate contact with the surface upon which it is operating. do not, however, for the broader purposes of my invention, limit myself to this particular arrangement or method of operation, as others can be used 'without departing from the principle of my invention.

lVhat I claim as my invention is:

l. A massage tool comprising a rotatable applicator, said applicator having one end adapted for Contact with the flesh, and means for rotating the same in a back and forth or oscillatory manner, about an axis at right angles to the surface to which it is applied, to subject the flesh to a back and fort-h twisting action, as set forth.

2. A massage tool comprising a cupshaped rubber applicator, a stem to one end of which the top or closed end of the cup secured, and means for rotating the said stem and applicator in a back and forth or oscillatory manner.

3. In a massage tool, the combination of an applicator provided with a cavity therein, means for establishing a vacuum in said cavity during the operation and application of the applicator, and means for giving the applicator a rotary or oscillating motion.

4. A massage tool comprising` hand-operated means havingback and forth motion for producing a rubbing action on the skin, and hand-operated means for subjecting the skin at the same time to the action of a vacuum, all actuated by and embodied in a self-contained tool adapted to be held and operated by the hand.

5. A massage tool comprising a cupshaped rubber applicator, hand-operated means for rotating the same in a back and forth or oscillatory manner, and means for exhausting the air from the said cup or applicator to draw the skin more firmly in contact with the edge or perimeter thereof.

6. A massage tool comprising a pair of handles, an applicator actuated by the opening and closing movements of said handles, a spring for throwing the handles apart, a bulb interposed between thehandles and operated thereby, and a connection between said bulb and applicator, whereby the applicator is operated and the air exhausted therefrom by the opening and closing of said handles.

7. A massage tool comprising an applicator, means for operating the same, a bulb for exhausting the air from said applicator, said bulb provided with an inlet valve consisting of a tube closed at its end and obliquely slitted at the side thereof, as set forth.

8. A massage tool comprising a pair of pivotally connected handles, a stem extending through and inclosed by the pivot of the said handles, a cup-shaped rubber applicator' secured to one end of said stem, and a gear connection between said stem and one of said handles.

9. A massage tool comprising a cupshaped rubber applicator provided with a hollow stem, hand-operated means for rotating said stem, and means for exhausting the air from said applicator by way of the said hollow stem.

110. An improved massage tool, comprising a hand-operated applicator and hand-operated means forv exhausting the air therefrom by the same opening and closing motion of the hand that operates the applicator, substantially as shown and described.

l1. A massage tool having an applicator, and provided with means operated by the grasping portion of the tool for opera-ting said applicator and exhausting the air therefrom, said applicator beingl mounted for back and forth movement relative to such grasping portion.

12.- A massage tool having a back and forth rotary motion applicator, and means for exhausting the air therefrom operated by the grasping portion of the tool.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 15th day of October 1907.

HENRY A. GRASS. lVitnesses S. Lnwis, ALBERT JOHN SAUsnn. 

